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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bound — certain
  4. stock — shares
  5. craft — boats
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lean — thin
  8. stock — goods
  9. bound — obliged
  10. craft — a skill
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. row — to paddle
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. row — a line
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. lean — to bend
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bound — tied together

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com